


where no hand had the right to be

by miladys-winter (lykxxn)



Series: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt [2]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Gen, Not Season/Series 03 Compliant, Season/Series 02, intercision
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 20:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7479384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lykxxn/pseuds/miladys-winter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The punishment for treason is intercision, and Rochefort is practically jumping at the chance to finally destroy Aramis once and for all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	where no hand had the right to be

Aramis shuddered, leaning against the cold wall as she buried her head into a crook in his neck. He reached up a grubby hand to stroke her feathers; once a brilliant white, they were now grey and dusty. "Carina," he croaked, "I'm so, so sorry."

"I know," she murmured. "Me too."

He rubbed a finger across her head, wanting to touch her as much as he could before it was too late. He couldn't imagine a world without her, and yet it was less than twenty-four hours before he would lose her forever.

"I always knew you'd be something," she said softly, not daring to break the subdued silence that had enveloped the prison. "We did well, Aramis."

"I know we did," he replied, wanting nothing more to cup his dæmon in his hands and rub her against his cheek. For the first time in his life she seemed frail and afraid - but then so must he. "I wish I were dead," he hissed angrily. "Death would be better than this. And instead I have to live! Better to die a coward than live on with no soul, I say!"

Aramis glared through the cell bars, furious at the demise he had been resigned to. "But of course Rochefort will be revelling in it, won't he? One of the King's Musketeers - convicted of treason and sentenced to intercision!"

Carina cooed quietly into his neck, and finally Aramis turned to her. In a few hours, he would have nothing left. No dignity, no job, and worst of all, no dæmon.

* * *

When dawn broke, Rochefort stormed down the hallway of the prison, his leopard-dæmon sneering at his side, her tail curled around his leg possessively. "Good morning, Musketeer," hissed Rochefort, pulling a set of keys from his belt and unlocking the cell door. Immediately Aramis flung himself at him, but Rochefort, obviously prepared for the attack, gave Aramis an almighty shove which left him gasping for breath as he collided roughly with the wall. Rochefort gave his leopard-dæmon a comforting stroke on the head, and she eyed Carina hungrily.

Aramis glared as Carina ruffled her feathers defiantly. "You can't do this," he stated, and his voice betrayed him as it shook in fear.

"Oh," laughed Rochefort, "but I _can_." He reached out a hand, and suddenly all the breath was thrust from Aramis's lungs. It was as if all the power had drained from his body and a hand had seized inside his heart and felt around where no hand had the right to be. His stomach twisted violently and he fought the urge to vomit. Rochefort was _touching_ her. He grasped the dæmon in his hands as she shook, and then he glanced to Aramis, who had gone almost white. His dæmon, however, looked much worse for wear. Carina was shaking terribly in horror and disgust, and her feathers held no sign of life.

Aramis shrunk back at the sight of Rochefort, grinning wildly at the Musketeer's dæmon in his human hands. Aramis could _feel_ those hands. It felt so _wrong_. This wasn't _supposed_ to happen. It wasn't _allowed_.

And then the moment that Aramis had been dreading came. Rochefort pulled a shiny, silver knife - such a knife, Aramis knew, had been crafted solely for the purpose of separating one from their dæmon - from his belt and raised his arm high; his leopard-dæmon bared her teeth agitatedly, and he brought the knife firmly down in between Aramis and his dæmon.

No kind of wound inflicted upon him could ever have hurt as much as he did at that moment. Aramis howled in pain as he felt himself tearing in two; he could feel her separating from him, and he reached out his arms in desperation.

Rochefort laughed, sneered even. He glanced between Aramis and Carina. The longer he prolonged this, he thought, the better. And, slower this time, he brought the knife down again. It did not separate them in one blow ... the knife seemed to torture the victim before dæmon and human became two.

Aramis positively screamed, and Carina let out a wailed noise. Aramis was wholly grateful that Constance had been moved from the prison, for he didn't think he could handle having her there to see the fate she would be subject to - nor did he think, strong as she was, _she_ could handle it. Aramis was shaking now, face pale, eyes wide.

The third time Rochefort brought the knife down was the final. Aramis let out an ear-splitting scream of pure agony, and then there was nothing. He gazed dully at Rochefort as the life drained from his body as if he were bleeding to death somehow.

Rochefort, with a satisfied smirk, cradled the shaking and almost lifeless bird-dæmon in his hands, turned on his heels and left.

Aramis had no idea how long he had lain there, feeling the life drain away and clutching out at thin air for Carina. "I'm sorry, Constance," he murmured softly. He was dying, he could feel it, for the dull ache in his chest was fading. He rubbed the leather pad on his shoulder firmly. "All for one," he murmured sincerely, closing his eyes. He had to see them, just one last time.

D'Artagnan. Athos. Porthos. Tréville. Anne. His son. The silver crucifix.

And then there was nothing.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Dæmon Information**  
>  Aramis - Carina, whiskey jack  
> Rochefort - Sarah, African leopard
> 
> I changed Aramis's dæmon from a dove as doves, although being a symbol for religion, did not reflect Aramis's personality. (This fic was before I discovered the wonders of The Dæmon Page.) Also, Aramis's dæmon is now Carina, a Spanish name meaning "pure", rather than Chenoa, which was neither Spanish nor French, and I have literally no idea what it means, or where I got it from. (This seems to be the same for the other dæmons in the series.)  
> I was actually going to keep Aramis alive this time around due to HDM canon that adults can survive intercision, but after reading over I realised that Aramis had said that "death was better than [intercision]". After Carina is cut from him, he is the only person who can keep himself alive.  
> [Click here to go back to the old fic.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3689565)


End file.
